UK Chief Scientific Advisor Examines Zimbabwe’s Climate Resilience Strategies

HARARE, Zimbabwe – Professor Dame Angela McLean DBE FRS, the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor, conducted a field visit to a Foundations for Farming (F4F) project to observe Zimbabwe’s innovative approaches to climate-smart agriculture.

The visit provided an opportunity to engage with the F4F team and gain a deeper, practical understanding of the Pfumvudza conservation farming method. The technique is recognized for its effectiveness in building crop resilience against drought through water conservation and soil health improvement.

The tour was seen as a key learning opportunity for Professor McLean ahead of the COP30 climate conference, where she will present evidence on global climate adaptation challenges. The insights gained from the Pfumvudza method are expected to inform those international discussions.

Professor McLean was accompanied by Dr. Jo Abbot, the Deputy Ambassador and Development Director at the British Embassy in Harare. The delegation included Mr. Leonard Munamati, Chief Director in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Agriculture, alongside officials from the Embassy and the F4F teams.

The engagement underscores a shared interest between the UK and Zimbabwe in identifying and scaling practical solutions to climate change. Following the field visit, further meetings with officials from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife were scheduled to discuss the government’s broader national climate strategies.

The visit highlights the international interest in Zimbabwe’s agricultural innovations and points toward continued collaboration on climate adaptation science in the lead-up to COP30.